Transferable decal license

ABSTRACT

A TRANSFERABLE ADHESIVE LABEL OR LICENSE COMPRISES AN INDICIA CARRYING LAYER WITH AN ADHESIVE LAYER ON ONE SIDE THEREOF. A PEELABLE LAYER IS REMOVABLY JOINED TO THE ADHESIVE LAYER ON THE SIDE OPPOSITE THE INDICA CARRYING LAYER. THE THREE-LAYERED LABEL HAS HEAVY PERFORATIONS THERETHROUGH PERMITTING THE INNER REGION, THAT REGION SURROUNDED BY THE PERFORATIONS, TO BE REMOVED FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE LABEL OR LICENSE AND ADHERED TO ANOTHER SURFACE.

March 1974 E. G. HEATWOLE 3,799,829

TRANSFERABLE DECAL LICENSE Filed Nov. 10, 1971 FIG. i we. 3

1/, ,l l/l (67 m 1 m 20 I0 I0 20 12 INVENTOR EDWARD (S. HEATWOLE 5 BY Wu 424W zww ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,799,829 TRANSFERABLE DECAL LICENSE Edward G. Heatwole, Richmond, Va., assignor to Transcal, Inc., Richmond, Va.

Filed Nov. 10, 1971, Ser. No. 197,238 Int. Cl. B41m 3/12 US. Cl. 156-235 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A transferable adhesive label or license comprises an indicia carrying layer with an adhesive layer on one side thereof. A peelable layer is removably joined to the adhesive layer on the side opposite the indicia carrying layer. The three-layered label has heavy perforations therethrough permitting the inner region, that region surrounded by the perforations, to be removed from the remainder of the label or license and adhered to another surface.

This invention relates generally to the field of adhesive labels or licenses and particularly to a label or license which is transferable from a first to a second surface.

In the field of adhesive labels or licenses particularly adapted to vehicular use, many approaches have been employed for securing licenses and the like to an automobile, for example. A usual approach has been to simply glue the entire front portion of a printed piece of paper or the like to the inside surface of the windshield. Thus, the paper is ordinarily treated with an adhesive for easy installation prior to or at the time of installation. This mode of operation does not permit the transfer of the label from one vehicle to another. In order to remove the label or license which is applied by this technique, the label must be destroyed.

Another form of label has an acetate or Mylar backing material with an attached adhesive. An easily removable covering, such as paper with a wax-like coating, covers the adhesive area. To attach the label, the covering layer is removed from the adhesive layer and the adhesive side of the acetate or Mylar layer is pressed against the desired automotive surface such as the windshield. Because the adhesive forms a strong bond between the automotive surface and the acetate or Mylar layer, the removal of such a sticker is difiicult, if not impossible, without destruction thereof. The vehicle owner, when the vehicle is sold, is forced to obtain a new label or license to replace the nonremovable ones on the sold vehicle.

Because of the failings outlined above of the prior art, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an adhesive label or license which can be easily transferred from a first to a second surface.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an adhesive label or license which is securable to a windshield or other surface of an automobile and is later transferable without destruction thereof to a second surface if the owner should purchase a new vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a transferable label for automobiles and the like in which the adhesive surface is partially exposed for attachment to the first surface while a protective coating remains over the remaining portion of the adhesive layer until the label is transferred from the first to the second surface.

In order to achieve these and other objectives, the article of the present invention generally comprises a backing layer on which the indicia is printed, while one side of the backing layer is coated with an adhesive for securing the backing layer to a smooth surface such as glass. A peel able layer is removably joined to the adhesive layer on the side opposite the backing layer. The peelable layer is made of a material which can easily be separated from the ad* hesive layer without causing the removal of adhesive from the backing layer. Heavy perforations are provided through the three layered label or license to permit the removal of an inner portion of the label, leaving the outer portion intact. By removing the outer portion of the peelable layer, the label or license is attachable to a smooth surface through a portion of the adhesive layer which is exposed. When the label or license is desired to be transferred from one surface to a second surface, the heavy perforations permit the removal of the indicia bearing inner portions of the label or license. Since the peelable layer of the inner portion was not removed when the label or license was first installed by removing it, however, the inner portion of the label or license is available for installation on a sec ond surface.

Referring now to the drawings which form a part of the original disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a label according to the pres ent invention with the outer, peelable layer having been partially removed;

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the label in FIG. 1 along line 22;

FIG. 3 shows the label with the peelable, outer portion completely removed;

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the label in FIG. 3 along line 4-4;

FIG. 5 shows a front view of the label with the inner portion partially removed; and

FIG. 6 shows the inner portion of the label and the partially removed peelable layer.

The three-layered label or license, according to the present invention, is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The label or license can, of course, have a shape other than that illus trated. The label has a backing layer 10 on which printed or other forms of indicia are located on either or both sides thereof. The backing layer 10 is constructed of any film or sheet material of the type generally useful for labels including plastic films of thermoplastic polymeric material (such as vinyl films comprising homopolymers of vinyl chloride, vinylidine chloride, vinyl esters such as vinyl acetate and copolymers which include a major portion of the foregoing monomers. Polyester films such as polyethylene terephthalate [Mylar], polyolefin films, nylon films, acetate films, etc., paper, metallic foil and the like may suitably be employed.

On one side of the backing layer is a layer of adhesive 11 of the pressure-sensitive type which is capable of withstanding prolonged exposure to sunlight and condensation. Such an adhesive material can comprise a highly tackified synthetic polymer with permanent, long-lasting tacky or sticky properties, which is preferably transparent and which adheres by pressure alone and is more cohesive than adhesive. Many types of such materials are well known in the art and need not be described in detail here.

Typical suitable pressure sensitive adhesives include a rubbery polymeric material compound with suitable compatible resinous tackifiers and dispersed in an appropriate solvent. 'Other ingredients such as anti-oxidants, light stabilizers, color pigments, softening agents, curing agents, stiffening agents, fillers, etc. may be included in the pressure sensitive adhesive to impart or modify particular properties.

Useful rubbery polymeric materials include, for example, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, latex crepe rubber, rubbery synthetic polymers and copolymers, and the like. Commonly used tackifiers include rosin esters such as ester gum, wood rosin, coumarone indene resins, terpene resins, petroleum hydrocarbon resins, and the like. In some instances, it may be desired to employ an especially transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive. Such adhesive may be, for example, a terpolymer of (1) an alkyl ester of an unsaturated acid, e.g., 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate; (2) an unsaturated carboxylic acid, e.g., acrylic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid; methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, ethacrylic acid; and (3) a vinylester of an aliphatic acid of less than six carbon atoms, e.g., vinyl acetate, vinyl butyrate. Component (1) above may represent from about 55-80 percent of the terpolymer, component (2) may represent from about 1-10 percent of the terpolymer and preferably from about 2-8 percent of the terpolymer, and component (3) may represent the balance of the terpolymer.

Aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon solvents are most often used with such adhesives. If desired, a primer coating can be applied to the underside of the first layer to improve the bonding of the adhesive layer thereto. The adhesive layer is to be firmly bonded to the backing layer so that it will not separate from it during the normal use of the label.

A peelable protective layer 12 contacts the adhesive layer 11 on the side opposite the base layer 10. The peelable layer 12 comprises a lightweight clear covering of a plastic film such as a vinyl plastic film, an acetate film, or similar material. The specific peelable layer material must be selected to have a low adhesion to the pressure sensitive adhesive layer so that the peelable layer can be removed from the adhesive layer, or portions thereof.

There should be no delamination of the pressure sensitive adhesive from the backing layer when the peelable layer is removed. The peelable layer can be coated or impregnated with a suitable release agent in order that the peelable layer can be removed without the aforesaid delamination of the adhesive. There are a number of suitable release agents, e.g., a silicone or silicone rubber coating, commonly known to the art. The term reasonably joined as used with reference to the bond between the backing and pressure sensitive adhesive layer is meant to denote this property.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the label has a heavy perforation line or boundary 13 which forms an endless contour between the inner region 14 and the outer region 15 of the label. The heavy perforation 13 permits easy removal of the inner portion 14 from the outer portion 15, when the latter has been adhered to a surface. While the shape of the inner portion 14 of the drawings is circular, the heavy perforations can be relocated to form an irregular shape, if such a shape is desired.

The outer portion 15 of the peelable layer 12 is shown generally at 16 in FIG. 1 as being partially separated from the adhesive layer 11. After the outer portion of the peelable layer has been completely removed, the label or license appears, from the front, as shown in FIG. 3 and, in section, as shown in FIG. 4. The outer region 15 has an adhesive material 11 completely uncovered while the adhesive in the inner region 14 is covered by the peelable layer 12. The label in FIG. 3 is shown adhering to a smooth and substantially flat surface, such as an automobile windshield 21 or the like. The outer portion of the label must flex somewhat as shown in FIG. 4 to allow the exposed portion of the adhesive to adhere to the support surface 21. If the adhesive material and the peelable layer are transparent and the label is adhered to a windshield, indicia on either side of the backing layer will be visible.

Once the label or license has been adhered to a first surface, the inner portion 14 is removable if such removal is desired. As shown in FIG. 5, the three-layered inner portion is separable along the heavy perforation 13 from the outer portion 15 which may be adhesively attached to a windshield. The inner region 14 is shown at 17 partially removed from the outer portion 15. When the inner portion 14 is completely removed from the outer portion 15, only the outer portion 15 remains attached to the windshield.

The removed inner portion 14 is shown in FIG. 6 with the peelable layer 12 shown partially removed at 18 from the adhesive layer 11. Once the peelable layer 12 is 90mpletely removed, the adhesive layer 11 is completely exposed and will adhere the backing layer inner portion to another surface such as the windshield of a second automobile, for example.

It will be clear from the foregoing description of the present label or license that the adhesive 11 and the peelable layer 12 are advantageously produced from transparent materials, which materials are convention. Such transparent properties are necessary in order that indicia printed on the inner side 19 of the backing layer 10 can be visible through an automobile windshield when the label or license is attached to the inside thereof.

The structure of the present label or license, however, is not limited to having adhesive and peelable coatings which are transparent. The printed indicia of the label or license may appear only on the bottom side 20 of the backing layer 10. The label is installed by removing the peelable layer from the outer portion and the exposed adhesive for such a different label is applied to the bumper or other portion of an automobile or the like. The transparent qualities of the peelable layer are no longer required because the printed indicia is only on the side of the backing layer 10 which is opposite the adhesive contacting side. Should the label or license require transferring from one surface to another, the inner region is removable by separating it from the outer portion by rearing the label along the heavy perforations 13. Subsequent installation of the removed inner portion requires only the removal of the peelable layer 12 and adhering the exposed adhesive layer to the desired surface.

From the foregoing description, it is clear that the objects set out above have been achieved by the described transferable label or license. While the foregoing description has been necessarily directed to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art that certain modifications in form only can be made to the described label or license without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for installing a three-layered transferable label having a backing layer, an adhesive layer, and a peelable layer, and an inner and outer portion separated by heavy perforations through the label, said inner portion of said backing layer bearing printed indicia, comprising the steps of removing the outer portion of the peelable layer to expose the adhesive layer of said outer portion of the label; and attaching the label to a surface with the printed indicia facing said surface by contacting said exposed adhesive layer to the surface, wherein said inner portion of said label is separated from said outer adhesively attached portion by tearing the label along the heavy perforation line; removing the peelable layer from the inner portion of the label to expose the adhesive layer of said inner portion of the label; and attaching the inner portion of the label to a second surface with the printed indicia facing said second surface by contacting said exposed adhesive layer of the inner portion of the label to the second surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,315,387 4/1967 Heuser 40-2 R 3,315,386 4/l967 Kest et al. 40-125 H 3,297,508 1/1967 Jahp 161--406 T 3,432,376 3/1969 Reed et a1 161-406 T 3,464,883 9/1969 Moline et al. 161-406 3,153,868 10/1964 Jones 40-2 2,939,242 6/1960 Papadakis 161-406 T GEORGE F. LESMES, Primary Examiner J. J. BELL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

